Polish aid

Polish development assistance in Be­larus invariably remains at a high level. Common history, direct geographical vicinity and mutual contacts promote cooperation and exchange of experi­ences, including in areas important for the functioning and development of the state and in the social and economic sphere. Development cooperation con­tributes to improving Belarusian stabil­ity and independence, thereby ensuring greater prosperity and security in the entire region.

In 2019, development assistance activ­ities aimed at Belarus focused on the following thematic areas: human capital, good governance, and entrepreneur­ship and private sector. Cooperation with United Nations agendas, i.e. UNDP and UNICEF representative offices, was continued. Belarusian public adminis­tration officials participated in training organised as part of the Eastern Part­nership Academy of Public Adminis­tration. In addition, Belarusian citizens studying at Polish universities received scholarships and/or had their tuition fees waived, among others as part of the Stefan Banach Scholarship Programme co-fmanced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Activities related to supporting democracy and human rights were car­ried out through the Solidarity Fund PL.

An important area of cooperation was improving access to independent infor­mation and development of civil society. Support to TV Belsat was provided in co­operation with TVP S.A.

The purposes of projects carried out in 2019 in the human capital priority includ­ed assistance for groups at risk of exclu­sion: people with disability and children deprived of parental care. Thanks to the implementation of projects in this field, better access to social services for these groups was ensured, social integration was tightened and the infrastructure and operation of care centres were im­proved. Another important aspect was supporting the professional activation of the beneficiaries. Support for entre­preneurship and the private sector was carried out, among others, by providing advice on designing support instruments and improving conditions for entrepre­neurs. Entrepreneurs taking part in the implementation of Polish Aid projects in 2019 obtained access to knowledge on planning and managing economic ac­tivities, as well as funds to develop their own businesses. An additional outcome of the projects were improved contacts between Polish and Belarusian entre­preneurs. Actions in the tourism sector were continued, resulting in improved tourist infrastructure, promotion of lo­cal products and attractions, creation of new jobs, and development of trans-bor­der contacts with Poland. Supporting the tourism sector has become a Polish specialty in efforts supporting economic activation in Belarus.